Sun Dogs And Halo Around Setting Sun
Farley, Iowa, USA

The term "sun dog" refers to a pair of bright lights seen on either side of the Sun, typically when it is setting. Sun dogs belong to a large class of atmospheric phenomena caused by the bending of sunlight by small ice crystals in the air. The crystals act as prisms, bending the light rays. If the crystals are randomly oriented in the atmosphere, a complete ring around the Sun–a halo–is seen, as is the case with this photograph. The best time to see sun dogs is during the winter when the Sun is close to the horizon.